Third Addendum to the

TransbayTerminal/Caltrain Downtown Extension/Redevelopment Project

FinalEnvironmentalImpact Statement/EnvironmentalImpact Report

(SCH #95063004)

INTRODUCTION

In April 2004, the Transbay Terminal/Caltrain Downtown Extension/Redevelopment Project

FEIS/EIR (SCH #95063004)was certified by the City and County ofSan Francisco, the

Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, and the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency.

1. A first addendum to the FEIS/EIR (dated May 25, 2006)was adopted by the TJPA Board

on June 2, 2006, pursuant to Section 15164 ofthe Guidelines implementingthe

California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Public Resources Code sections 21000 et

seq., describingmodifications to the Transbay Transit Center design and construction

stagingand revisions to the Temporary Terminal site plan.

2. A second addendum to the FEIS/EIR, pursuant to the Guidelines, Section 15164,

describingrefinements to the Locally Preferred Alternative (hereinafter, RLPA)for the

Caltrain Downtown Extension Project (DTX), includingdesign provisions that are

capable ofallowingconstruction ofa future Townsend/Embarcadero/Main loop trackand

delay in the timingofconstruction oftail tracks on Main Street pendingthe outcome of

future rail planningstudies to accommodate California High-Speed Rail.The second

addendum was adopted by the TJPA Board on April 19, 2007.

DESCRIPTION OFTHIRD ADDENDUM

This third addendum to the FEIS/EIR describes modifications to the acquisition ofone private

property identified in the Final EIS/EIR for acquisition.The property is required for construction

stagingand is identified in Figure 1.

546Howard Street (Block3721, Lot 16):

The property at 546Howard Street, identified on page 5-22 ofthe Final EIS/EIR for partial

acquisition, will be needed in its entirety for construction staging.As a result, the entire

property would be acquired.

The property at 546Howard is currently an undeveloped lot used for surface parking.The

acquisition ofthe entire lot would remove more surface parkingthan would the partial

property acquisition.The San Francisco PlanningCode section 161(c), however, does not

require the provision ofoff-street parkingfor any use in the downtown, in light ofthe

compact and congested nature ofthe area.Moreover, the removal ofsurface parkingis not

considered a significant physical impact on the environment under CEQA.The full

acquisition would not substantially change the severity or significance ofthe environmental


	
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impacts disclosed in the Final EIS/EIR. Therefore, the acquisition of 546 Howard in its

entirety would not require major revisions to the Final EIS/EIR due to new or substantially

increased significant environmental effects because of substantial changes in the project,

substantial changes with respect to the circumstances under which the RLPA would be

undertaken, or significant new information.

The 546 Howard property is located immediately adjacent to the existing bus ramp

connecting the Transbay Terminal building to the Bay Bridge. At the time that the FEIS/EIR

was prepared, there was a one-story building on the property, which has since been

demolished by the owner. The demolition permit was filed on November 9, 2001 (Permit

Application No. 200111092798), a permit was issued on August 5, 2004, and final

inspection of the demolition was approved on September 29, 2004. The FEIS/EIR Table

5.2-1 and Figure 5.2-3 identify the parcel for partial acquisition, stated as a “(f)ew feet from

northeast corner of building.”The partial acquisition was needed to support work in

demolishing the existing bus ramp and for construction of the new facilities. Construction

planning indicates that the full parcel is needed during demolition for placement of contractor

equipment, such as cranes, to remove the structural members of the existing bus ramps.

Following demolition of the existing bus ramp, the parcel is needed to serve as field offices,

lay down areas and other construction-related staging uses required for construction of the

new Transbay Transit Center.

Conclusion

The removal of surface parking that will occur with the acquisition of 546 Howard Street is not

considered a significant environmental impact. The acquisition of this property would not

substantially change the severity or significance of the environmental impacts disclosed in the

FEIS/EIR.

Therefore, the acquisition of property described in this addendum would not require major

revisions to the FEIS/EIR due to new or substantially increased significant environmental

effects. Furthermore, there have been no substantial changes with respect to the circumstances

under which these property acquisitions would be undertaken that would require major revisions

of the FEIS/EIR due to new or substantially increased significant environmental effects;and

there has been no discovery of new information of substantial importance that would trigger or

require major revisions to the FEIS/EIR due to new or substantially increased significant

environmental effects. Therefore, no subsequent or supplemental environmental impact report

is required pursuant to CEQA Guidelines sections 15162 and 15163 prior to approval of the

acquisition of property as described in this addendum.

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Figure 1 Location of 546 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA

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